He shall save His people from their sins
Matthew 1:21
Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by
salvation, will reply, "Being saved from hell and taken to heaven."
This is one result of salvation, but it is not one tithe of what is
contained in that boon. It is true our Lord Jesus Christ does redeem
all His people from the wrath to come; He saves them from the fearful
condemnation which their sins had brought upon them; but His triumph
is far more complete than this. He saves His people "from their
sins." Oh! sweet deliverance from our worst foes. Where Christ works
a saving work, He casts Satan from his throne, and will not let him
be master any longer. No man is a true Christian if sin reigns in his
mortal body. Sin will be in us--it will never be utterly expelled
till the spirit enters glory; but it will never have dominion. There
will be a striving for dominion--a lusting against the new law and
the new spirit which God has implanted--but sin will never get the
upper hand so as to be absolute monarch of our nature. Christ will be
Master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. The Lion of the tribe
of Judah shall prevail, and the dragon shall be cast out. Professor!
is sin subdued in you? If your life is unholy your heart is
unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved person.
If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a
hatred of sin and a love of holiness, He has done nothing in you of a
saving character. The grace which does not make a man better than
others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves His people, not in
their sins, but from them. "Without holiness no man shall see the
Lord." "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from
iniquity." If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted
among His people. Lord, save me now from all evil, and enable me to
honour my Saviour.
